Hydraulically operated chair



Jan. 31, 1961 .w. J. KIEFER HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED CHAIR Filed July e,1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ggg Jan. 31, 1961 w. J. KIEFER HYDRAULICALLYOPERATED CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1959 Jan. 3l, 1961 w. J.KIEFER 2,969,645

HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July e, 1959 l l lWalter J. Kiefer, Belvidere, lll., assigner to Belvedere Products, Inc.,Belvidere, Ill., a corporation of Illinols Filed July 6, 1959, Ser. No.825,288

10 Claims. (Cl. 60-52) This invention relates to hydraulically operatedchairs and particularly to improvements in the chair base and mechanismfor raising and lowering the chair seat.

An important object of this invention is to provide an hydraulicallyoperated chair which is of simple construction and which can be readilyassembled, disassembled and adjusted.

Another object of this invention is to provide an hydraulically operatedchair wherein the pump and ram are formed as a separate unit and inwhich the chair is constructed so as to enable ready removal of the ramand pump unit from the base without necessitating disassembly of anyother parts such as the chair seat and the pump and valve operatinglevers.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide anhydraulically operated chair having an improved construction formounting the several operating parts including the bearing for thevertically slidable chair support sleeve; the brake for locking thechair in adjusted position; the hydraulic ram and pump; and theoperating levers for the pump to facilitate assembly and adjustment ofthe same.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of thepresent invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomesbetter understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a Vertical sectional view through the chair support base andillustrating the construction and assembly of the pump and ram unit onthe base;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the chair support base with parts broken awayand shown in section to illustrate details of construction of the brakeand valve control levers;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating the construction ofthe brake apparatus for locking the chair against rotary and verticalsliding movements;

Fig. 4 is a rear View of the chair support base with parts broken awayalong the plane 4 4 of Figure Y1 to illustrate details of construction;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views through the pump andillustrating the valve and passage arrangement for interconnecting thepump and ram; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane 7 7 of Fig. 2.

The chair includes a hollow support base 10` having an outwardlyextending preferably rectangular leg portion 11 and an upwardlyextending casing 12 which provides a decorative cover for the operatingmechanism. |The base defines a relatively large central opening 13acljacent its lower end and terminates at its upper end at an inwardlydirected flange 14 which defines a relatively smaller opening 15. Themain support body, hereinafter referred to as a cage 18, is adapted tobe inserted into the lower end of the hollow support base. The cageincludes a cage base 19 which is attached as by fasteners Z1 to theunderside of inwardly extending lugs 22 formed on the support base 10.The cage is advantageously of rates Patent C Patented Jara. 31, 1961 anopen construction to provide a light weight unit and to facilitateaccess to parts inside the cage and, as shown, includes four cornerposts 24 which extend upwardly from the base into the outer casing, inspaced relation thereto, and which terminate at their upper ends in anannular bearing member 25 having a sleeve bearing insert 26. As will benoted, the bearing member 25 extends through the opening 15 at the upperend of the outer casing and a peripheral iiange 28 is provided on thebearing member to underlie the opening 15. An elongated chair supportsleeve 29 is slidably supported in the bearing and has a mounting plate31 attached to its upper end. A bracket 32 is attached to the plate andextends across the upper end of the sleeve, as best shown in Fig. 1. Achair seat and back rest (not shown), of conventional construction, areattached to the mounting plate 31 to be raised and lowered with thesleeve 29.

The cage base 19 has an opening 35 formed therein and a combined pumpand ram unit 36 is mounted on the cage to extend upwardly through thatopening into the sleeve 29. In particular, the unit 36 includes a rambase 37 which is secured, as by fasteners 38 to the underside of thecage base 19. The ram unit extends upwardly through the opening 35 inthe cage base and includes an outer cylinder 39 attached to the upperside of the base 37 and an inner cylinder 41 also attached to the basewithin the outer cylinder to define an outer reservoir chamber 42 and aninner motive chamber 43. A head 44 is attached to the upper ends of theinner and outer cylinders 39 and 41 and slidably supports a piston rod45. A piston 46 is attached to the lower end of the rod within thecylinder 41. As shown in Fig. l, the bracket 32 rests on the upper endof the piston rod 45 so that the sleeve and the chair seat carriedthereby are elevated with the piston rod. The pump includes a pumpsleeve 48 threadedly attached to the base 37 and extending upwardlytherefrom. A pump piston 49 and rod 51 are slidably supported in thesleeve 48 and a spring 52 is interposed between the base 37 and a head53 on the pump rod, to yieldably urge the pump piston 49 to itsretracted position. The pump cylinder communicates at its lower endthrough a downwardly extending passage 54 with a stepped valve chamber55. Lateral passages 56 and 57 communicate with the valve chamber andwith the lower end of the reservoir 42 and the lower end of the motivechamber 43 in the ram, respectively. A check valve 58 is disposedbetween the passage 54 and the passage 56 leading to the reservoir andarranged to open when the pump piston is retracted to admit a charge offluid to the pump, and to close to prevent return ow. A second checkvalve 59 is disposed between the passage 54 and the passage 57 leadingto the motive chamber and arranged to open to permit flow from the pumpto the motive chamber, and to close to prevent return flow. As shown inFig. 6, a by-pass passage 61 is formed between the motive chamber 43 andthe lower end of the reservoir chamber 42 and a control valve 62 havingan operator 63 is provided for controlling the flow through the by-passpassage. As shown, the operator 63 is threadedly supported in a bushing64 on the ram base and has an operating finger 65 attached to its outerend to effect opening of the valve, when the finger is swung in onedirection, and to close the valve when it is moved in the oppositedirection. A laterally extending nose portion 66 is provided on theouter end of the finger 65. As shown in Fig. 2, the finger 65 isyieldably urged in a clockwise direction to its closed position by meansof a spring 68 having one end attached to a pin on the finger and theother end attached to a pin 69 on the cage 18. An operating lever, to bedescribed more fully hereinafter, is provided for selectively moving thevalve operator 63 in the other direction to open the by-pass and allowthe sleeve 29 and the chair carried thereby to return to its loweredposition.

The pump operating lever is mounted on the cage for removal therewithand includes a yoke 71 disposed within the cage 1S and extending partway around the sleeve 29. The yoke is pivotally supported on the cage bymeans of bushings 72. The bushings are rotatably supported in bosses 73formed on a web 74 which extends between the legs 24 of the cage, ateach side of the latter. The bushings extend into hollow bosses 75 onthe ends of the yoke and are non-slidably and non-rotatably connectedthereto by pins 76 (see Fig. 4). Stub shafts 77 extend through openings7? in the outer casing l2, and through the bushings 72 into the hollowbosses on the yoke 75, and the shafts have a slot 79 in the inner endsthereof which slidably and non-rotatably receives the pin 76. With thisarrangement, the yoke 7l can be mounted by the bushings 72 on the cage,and the cage then inserted into the support base lt. The stub shafts '77are thereafter inserted into the bushings and a generally U-shapedoperating treadle S1 has the ends thereof inserted into transverse boresS2 in the outer ends of the stub shafts. The operating treadle preventsoutward movement of the stub shafts 77 and is operative, when moveddownwardly, to swing the yoke 7l. downwardly.

The yoke has a roller 83 intermediate its ends which overlies the head53 on the pump piston and is arranged to engage the same as the yoke ismoved downwardly to deliver fluid under pressure to the motive cylinderin the ram. When the pressure on the treadle Si is released, the spring52 retracts the piston 49 and raises the treadle to the position shownin Fig. 2.

The treadle S1 for operating the pump to raise the chair isadvantageously arranged to also operate the control valve nger 65 toeffect lowering of the chair. For this purpose, a lever Sti is attached,as shown in Fig.. 2, to the pump operating yoke 71 for movementtherewlth. The lever 80 has a nose portion 84 at its lower end whichdoes not engage the nger `d5 during normal oscillation of the yokeincident to operation of the pump to raise the chair. However, when theyoke 71 is moved to its lowermost position, the lever 80 engages thecontrol valve finger and moves the same in a counterclockwise directionas viewed in Fig. 2, to thereby open the by-pass 6l and allow the chairto return to its lowered position.

In the embodiment illustrated, a lever 85 is also provided formanipulating the finger 65 on the control valve. As best shown in Fig.7, the lever 85 has a hub 86 which is rotatably supported by means of aflanged bushing 87 on one of the legs 24 of the cage. The lever 85 ispreferably mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to thepivot axis of the yoke 71 and the lever is detachably retained inassembled relation on the bushing by means of a pin 8S which extendsthrough aligned apertures in the hub 86 and bushing 87. In this manner,the lever 85 may also be assembled on the cage i8, prior to mounting ofthe latter on the support base. The lever 85 is manipulated fromexternally of the casing 12 by means of a shaft 91. which is slidablysupported in the bushing S7 and is rotatably supported in the leg at therelatively opposite side of the cage. The shaft extends outwardlythrough openings 92 in the casing I2 and has a keyway 94 therein whichslidably and non-rotatably receives t'ne inwardly extending end of thepin SS. Operating treadles 96 are non-rotatably attached by pins 97 toboth ends of the shaft 91 and extend generally horizontally fromopposite sides of the axis of the shaft. TheI lever 85 overlies the noseportion 66 on the valve operating finger and, when the treadles 96 aretilted in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. l and 2, the lever 85engages the nose portion and moves the control valve to its openposition.

A selectively operable brake mechanism is also provided for locking thesleeve 29 against rotation and vertical sliding movement. For thispurpose, an elongated vertically extending boss 101 having a verticalguide bore 106 therein, is formed on the bearing member 25, convenientlyadjacent one corner of the cage I8. A transverse bore 162 (see Fig. 3)is formed in the boss to extend generally radially of the sleeve 29, anda plunger 103 is slidably disposed in the radial bore. The plunger has acam face 104 at its outer end and a rod N5 is slidably supported in theguide bore 106, to actuate the plunger, The rod has an inclined cam faceltl' along one side thereof which engages the end face lil-4 of theplunger and moves the latter inwardly into locking engagement with thesleeve 29, as the rod is raised.

The rod M35 is conveniently operated by the same lever arrangement whichis provided for operating the control valve. For this purpose, a pair ofspaced ears M33 are formed on the hub S6 and a link 09, convenientlyformed in two axially adjustable sections, is connected at one end by apin Mtl to the ears 103. The other end of the link is connected by a pinIll to an ear llZ on the locking rod 105. The arrangement is such thatwhen the lever is moved in a clockwise direction to open the controlvalve 63, the link 109 releases the brake plunger 103 and permits thesleeve and the chair seat carried thereby to move downwardly. When thetreadle 96 is moved in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. land 2, the lever S5 moves out of engagement with the ball on the valveoperating finger so that the valve is closed by the spring 63. Furthercounterclockwise movement of the treadle will move the rod 105 upwardlyto effect locking of the support sleeve 29 against rotation and verticalsliding movement.

From the foregoing it is thought that the operation and construction ofthe device will be readily understood. As will be noted, the sleevesupport bearing 25, the brake mechanism including the plunger IGS, thepump operating yoke 7l; and the brake and valve operating levers,together with the ram and pump unit are all mounted on the cage i8, sothat the cage serves to maintain the several parts in proper relationand minimizes the amount of adjustment required when assembling theparts. Moreover, the yoke and operating levers are so arranged as toenable mounting of the levers on the cage, prior to insertion of thecage into the outer casing l2, and the shafts 77 and 91 are thereafterinserted axially through openings in the outer casing into drivingengagement with the yoke and valve and brake operating levers. Further,the roller 83 on the yoke, the operating lever 35 for the valve, and thebracket 32 merely overlie the head 5S on the pump, the ball 66 on thecontrol valve and the piston rod 75, so that the pump and ram unit canbe inserted and withdrawn as a unit by merely inserting and removing thefasteners 38. This greatly facilitates the ease of assembly anddisassembly for repair or replacement of the pump and ram unit.

I claim:

l. In an hydraulically operated chair, `a hollow support base dening alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and dening a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cage havinga cage base detachably secured to said support base at the undersidethereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening into saidcasing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, a verticallyextending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supported in saidbearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening, bracket meanson the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seat thereon, saidcage base having an opening therein, a selfcontained pump and ram unithaving a ram base and concentric cylinders extending upwardly from saidbase and dening an outer reservoir and an inner motive cylinder, meansdetachably securing said ram base to the underside of said cage basewith said cylinders extending upwardly through said opening in the cagebase into said sleeve to enable detachment and withdrawal of the ramunit from the lower end of the cage, said ram unit including a piston inone of said cylinders having a rod thereon engageable with said bracketmeans to elevate and lower the sleeve, said ram unit also including apump and a control valve on said ram base externally of said sleeve, andlever means mounted on said cage for operating said pump and controlvalve.

2. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and dening a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cage havinga cage base detachably secured to said support base at the undersidethereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening into saidcasing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, a verticallyextending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supported in saidbearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening, bracket meanson the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seat thereon, saidcage base having an opening therein, a selfcontained pump and ram unithaving a ram base and concentric cylinders extending upwardly from saidbase and defining an outer reservoir and an inner motive cylinder, meansdetachably securing said ram base to the underside of said cage basewith said cylinders extending upwardly through said opening in the cagebase into said sleeve to enable detachment and withdrawal of the ramunit from the lower end of the cage, said ram unit including a piston inone of said cylinders having a rod thereon engageable with said bracketmeans to elevate and lower the sleeve, said ram unit also including apump and a control valve on said ram base externally of said sleeve, afirst lever mounted on said cage and engageable with said pump foroperating the latter, and a second lever mounted on said cage andengageable with said control valve for operating the latter.

3. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining -alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and defining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cagehaving a cage base detachably secured to said support base at theunderside thereof -and extending upwardly through said lower openinginto said casing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, avertically extending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supportedin said bearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening,bracket means on the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seatthereon, said cage base having an opening therein, a selfcontained pumpand ram -unit having a ram base and concentric cylinders extendingupwardly from said base and defining an outer reservoir and an innermotive cylinder, means detachably securing said ram base to theunderside of said cage base with said cylinders extending upwardlythrough said opening in the cage base into said sleeve to enabledetachment and withdrawal of the ram unit from the lower end of thecage, said ram unit including a piston in one of said cylindershaving arod thereon engagea-ble with said -bracket means to elevate and lowerthe sleeve, said ram unit also including a pump and a control valve onsaid ram base externally of said sleeve, a brake member mounted on saidbearing means and engageable with said sleeve to selectively lock thelatter against rotation and axial movement, and lever means mounted onsaid cage for operating said pump, said control valve and said brakemember.

4. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and defining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cagehaving a cage base detachably secured to said support base at theunderside thereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening intosaid casing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, avertically extending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supportedin said bearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening,bracket means on the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seatthereon, said cage base having an opening therein, a self-contained pumpand ram unit having a ram base and concentric cylinders extendingupwardly from said base and defining an outer reservoir and an innermotive cylinder, means detachably securing said ram base to theunderside of said cage base with said cylinders extending upwardlythrough said opening in the cage base into said sleeve to enabledetachment and withdrawal of the ram unit from the lower end of thecage, said ram unit including a piston in one of said cylinders having arod thereon engageable with said bracket means to elevate and lower thesleeve, said ram unit also including a pump and a control valve on saidram base externally of said sleeve, a locking plunger mounted on saidbearing means for sliding movement about an axis transverse to saidsleeve into and out of locking engagement therewith, a rod slidablymounted on said cage alongside said bearing means, said rod having a camsurface thereon engageable with said plunger for moving the latter intolocking engagement with the sleeve, and lever means mounted on said cagefor operating said pump, said control valve and said plunger.

5. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and defining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cagehaving a cage base detachably secured to said support base at theunderside thereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening intosaid casing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, avertically extending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supportedin said bearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening,bracket means on the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seatthereon, said cage base having an opening therein, a self-contained pumpand ram unit having a ram base and concentric cylinders extendingupwardly from said base and defining an outer reservoir and an innermotive cylinder, means detachably securing said ram base to theunderside of said cage base with said cylinders extending upwardlythrough said opening in the cage base into said sleeve to enabledetachment and withdrawal of the ram unit from the lower end of thecage, said ram unit including a piston in one of said cylinders having arod thereon engageable with said bracket means to elevate and lower thesleeve, said ram unit also including a pump and a control valve on saidram base externally of said sleeve, a locking plunger mounted on saidbearing means for sliding movement about an axis transverse to saidsleeve into and out of locking engagement therewith, a rod slidablymounted on said cage alongside said bearing means, said rod having a camsurface thereon engageable with said plunger for moving the latter intolocking engagement with the sleeve, a first lever means pivotallymounted on said cage for operating said plunger when the first levermeans is moved in one direction and for operating said control valvewhen said first lever means is moved in the other direction, and asecond lever means pivotally mounted on said cage for operating saidpump.

6. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and defining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cagehaving a cage base detachably secured to saidv support baserat theunderside thereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening intosaid casing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, avertically extending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supportedin said bearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening,bracket means on the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seatthereon, said cage base having an opening therein, a self-contained pumpand ram unit having a ram base and concentric cylinders extendingupwardly from said base and deining an outer reservoir and an innermotive cylinder, means detachably securing said ram base to theunderside of said cage base with said cylinders extending upwardlythrough said opening in the cage base into said sleeve to enabledetachment and withdrawal of the ram unit from the lower end of thecage, said ram unit including a piston in one of said cylinders having arod thereon engageable with said bracket means to elevate and lower thesleeve, said ram unit also including a pump having a reciprocableoperator and a control valve having an operating finger, an operatingyoke in said cage extending partway around said sleeve for engagementwith said reciprocable operator, a pair of stub shafts supported on saidcage for rotation about a common axis and slidably and nonrotatablykeyed to said yoke, said shafts having end portions extending throughsaid casing, and a U-shaped treadle terminally attached to said endportions of said shafts to releasably retain the shafts in position onsaid cage.

7. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and delining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cagehaving a cage base detachably secured to said support base at theundeside thereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening intosaid casing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, avertically extending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supportedin said bearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening,bracket means on the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seatthereon, said cage base having an opening therein, a self-contained pumpand ram unit having a ram base and concentric cylinders extendingupwardly from said base and defining an outer reservoir and an innermotive cylinder, means detachably securing said ram base to theunderside of said cage base with said cylinders extending upwardlythrough said opening in the cage base into said sleeve to enabledetachment and withdrawal of the ram unit from the lower end of thecage, said ram unit including a piston in one of said cylinders having arod thereon engageable with said bracket means to elevate and lower thesleeve, said ram unit also including a pump having a reciprocableoperator and a control valve having an operating finger, an operatingyoke in said cage extending partway around said sleeve for engagementwith said reciprocable operator, tubular bushings connected to said yokeand rotatably mounted in said cage to support the yoke thereon, stubshafts extending through said casing and through said bushings, meansslidably and non-rotatably connecting said shafts to said yoke to permitendwise withdrawal of the shafts, and a U-shaped treadle detachablyconnected to the outer ends of said shafts. t

8. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base detining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and defining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cagehaving a cage base detachably secured to said support base at theunderside thereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening intosaid casing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, avertically extending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supportedin said bearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening,bracket means on the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seatthereon, said cage base having an opening therein, a self-contained pumpand ram unit having a ram base and concentric cylinders extendingupwardly from said base and defining an outer reservoir and an innermotive cylinder, means detachably securing said ram base to theunderside or' said cage base with said cylinders extending upwardlythrough said opening in the cage base into said sleeve to enabledetachment and withdrawal of the ram unit from the lower end of thecage, said ram unit including a piston in one of said cylinders having arod thereon engageable with said bracket means to elevate and lower thesleeve, said ram unit also including a pump and a control valve, saidpump having a reciprocable operator and means yieldably urging saidoperator to its retracted position, said control valve including anoperating finger and means yieldably urging said control Valve to itsclosed position, first and second lever means, means pivotally mountingsaid lever means on said cage, said lever means respectively looselyoverlying said operator and said finger when the pump and ram unit ismounted on the cage to facilitate insertion and removal of the unit, andmeans for selectively moving said first and second lever means torespectively operate said pump and valve.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said lever mounting means includesrst and second tubular bushings rotatably mounted on the cage andrespectively connected to said first and second lever means to pivotallysupport the same on the cage, first and second shaft means slidably andnon-rotatably extending through said first and second bushings andthrough said casing, and treadles attached to the outer ends of saidfirst and second shaft means.

l0. In an hydraulically operated chair, a hollow support base defining alower opening and having a casing extending upwardly around said loweropening and deining a top opening at its upper end, a hollow cage havinga cage base detachably secured to said support base at the undersidethereof and extending upwardly through said lower opening into -saidcasing, an annular bearing at the upper end of said cage, a verticallyextending support sleeve in said cage and slidably supported in saidbearing means to extend upwardly through said top opening, bracket meanson the upper end of said sleeve for mounting a chair seat thereon, saidcage base having an opening therein, a self-contained pump and ram unithaving Va ram base and concentric cylinders extending upwardly from saidbase and defining an outer reservoir and an inner motive cylinder, meansdetachably securing said ram base to the underside of said cage basewith said cylinders extending upwardly through said opening in the cagebase into said sleeve to enable detachment and withdrawal of the ramunit from the lower end of the cage, said ram unit including a piston inone of said cylinders having a rod thereon engageable with said bracketmeans to elevate and lower the sleeve, said ram unit also-including apump having a reciprocable operator and a control valve having anoperating finger, an operating yoke in said cage extending part wayaround said sleeve for engagement with said reciprocable operator, apair of stub shafts supported on said cage for rotation about a commonaxis and slidably and nonrotatably keyed to said yoke, said shaftshaving end portions extending through said casing, and a U-shafpedtreadle terminally yattached to said end portions of said shafts toreleasably retain the shafts in position on said cage, and a lever onsaid yoke engageable with said control valve operating ringer when saidtreadle is moved to its lowermost position to operate the control valveto lower the chair.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS644,641 Sibley Mar. 6, l900 885,564 Barker Apr. 21, 1908 1,136,617Ritter Apr. 20, 1915 2,711,632 Ellis June 28, 1955 2,854,061 RomiteSept. 30, 1958

